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Dayton Music Insider: Have a rockin’ holiday weekend!

Happy Holidays everyone! If you’re making plans with friends and family, make live music part of your festivities!

There are lots of great shows happening all over the Dayton area, so keep reading to get all the details.

Friday, December 23rd

A great night for rock fans in the Oregon District, starting with the Nightbeast, You vs Yesterday, Flee the Valley show at Blind Bob’s. If you’re looking for a ragin’ night out, this show has got to be on your list! 9 p.m. Ages 21+, $5 cover at the door.

An epic Battle of the Bands is brewing over at Rockstar Pro Arena. The lineup includes: Left in the Dark, Hellraiser, Life In Idle, Measured By Seconds, Seth Canan & The Carriers, Mountain House, Engraved Darkness, and Rion Ringo. Great prizes available for the winners, so get your votes in! Presale: $10. Doors: 6 p.m. All ages.

I suspect there will be lots of friends gathering and celebrating the holidays this evening. There’s nothing like sharing the tunes and spirit of the Grateful Dead, in my humble opinion. If that sounds like a wonderful plan to you, then check out the extremely talented Great Northern String Band at Trolley Stop. They play your favorite Dead and Jerry Garcia Band songs, with an all-acoustic flair. 9 p.m. $5 cover. Ages 21+.

Need a little rockabilly for your soul? Head over to see Cherry Lee and the Hot Rod Hounds at the Dublin Pub. They will be kicking up high spirits over there, that’s for sure! I’m going to guess that some folks will be wandering between Trolley to Dublin over the course of the evening, to catch both of these fantastic shows! 8 p.m.

Over at Riff Raff Tavern on the Canal, stop by for the 2nd Annual Jingle Bell Jam, hosted by Ira Stanley & Blues Power. Eric Jerardi, among other guests, will be joining them on stage. Certainly a “don’t miss” night for Blues fans in the area. Doors 6:30 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m.

Jazz fans, check out Kelsey Mira at the Blue Note Bistro in Miamisburg. Kelsey has made a name for herself in the music scene since releasing her first body of work, an EP called “Don’t Stop Now” recorded in Los Angeles with six-time Grammy Award winning producer, Jimmy Hoyson. Her versatile voice showcases her classical background through a wide array of music, including jazz music and classics. Show starts at 8:30 p.m. If you’re around early, guitarist Danny Voris kicks off the evening at 5 p.m.

Punk and metal fans, don’t miss the Toy Drive show out at Oscar’s in Vandalia. This show features, in their own self-described ways: The Voice of God – Dayton’s own hardcore punk; Shadow of the Mountain, epic battledoom minstrels; Eviscerated Zombie Tampon, Tampa, Florida’s own weirdcore heavyweight champions, Putrid Liquid, a nasty assault grind trio from Dayton; Misunderstood, punk rock demolition experts from Richmond; and Sweet Stage of Hell, death metal burning it down from Greenville. Wowza — bring earplugs! Entry is simple: At least 1 new unwrapped toy. 8 p.m.

Looking for something to do with friends and family early? Check out an acoustic set by Michael Compton from 3-5 p.m. at the new Wandering Griffin brewery in Fairborn, across from Wright State University.

Listen to Christmas music in a beautiful and classic setting: the Blue Note Bistro in Miamisburg. They are bringing in Scott Gold, Randy Villars, and George Farnell to perform classic holiday songs to get your in the spirit! 6 p.m.

Happy Holidays to all, and asalways, thank you for supporting live music!

Your Dayton Music Insider,

Libby Ballengee

Note to Readers: The information above is for December 23rd-25th, 2016. If I don’t list a price, I’m not sure what the price is. Typically cover charges for local shows are $5. Please click the hyperlinks to find out more about the bands, venues and events, including start times, directions, and ticket availability. Check out the latest shows I’m promoting @theVenusChild. You can keep up with my adventures on Instagram here or follow me on Twitter @LibbyBallengee. Cheers!